Teachers staging one-day protest Friday | UPDATE

Teachers picket line

(PETERBOROUGH) Premier Dalton McGuinty says the government will take action to prevent an "illegal" strike by teachers planned for this Friday (Jan. 11).
In a Wednesday night press conference, premier McGuinty said if teachers carried out their planned political protest, that would be considered an illegal strike.
"I know teachers are law-abiding. I know they do not want to break the law, and I am urging them not to," he said.
The Ontario government is planning on filing an application with the Ontario Labour Relations Board to prevent the protest from going ahead.
If the unions defy any ruling by the board, the government could then go to the Ontario Superior Court, arguing the unions are in contempt of court.
Disobeying the order could result in fines of up to $25,000 for the unions and as much as $2,000 for individual teachers under the Ontario Labour Relations Act.
On Wednesday, the local public school board urged parents to not send their children to school Friday (Jan. 11) as a result of public elementary school teachers plans to stage a one-day protest across Ontario. Peterborough's public elementary schools will not provide normal programming Friday but will remain open on an emergency basis only.
In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, the board said:
"At this time, the board cannot determine the level of supervision that schools will be able to provide throughout the day.
"Parents should contact their school-based daycare centres for specific information on available programs. While school-based day cares may be open, it is by individual agency choice. Parents should expect picketing activity at these sites."
Dave Wing, president of the local Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, says local details about the one-day protest are still being worked out, but local elementary public school teachers will not be in class Friday.
The protests are taking place in communities across Ontario. Back in December, 92 per cent of the union's 46,000 members voted in favour of a one-day political protest if the Minister of Education imposed new contracts under Bill 115. The minister took that step on Jan. 3.
The new contract imposed on public school teachers and support staff features a two-year wage freeze (but allows new teachers to move up the salary grid starting in February), cuts sick days from 20 to 10 and ends the practice of cashing-in unused sick days at retirement.
Along with Friday's protest, public school teachers at the high school level are not volunteering for extracurricular activities.